Enclosures for oil-in-water (OIW) analysers undergo rigorous testing in order to achieve industry standard hazard approval ratings. To meet industry standards concerning the strength of the enclosure, a conventional approach is to select a wall thickness that provides the required strength. For example, for a stainless steel enclosure, a typical wall thickness is 12 mm.
A problem associated with enclosures for OIW analysers is that they are susceptible to explosions within the enclosure as a result of combustible material, especially gas, coming into contact with the electronics contained within the enclosure. Selecting the thickness of the walls of the enclosure so that it can withstand such explosions is the conventional solution.
Relatively thick-walled enclosures are considered undesirable, as they are heavy and expensive. It would be desirable therefore to provide an improved enclosure for oil-in-water analysers.